The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits (ICs), semiconductor chips or the like, and more particularly to a fixture to couple an IC, semiconductor chip or the like to a circuit board for testing or measuring signals and operating parameters associated with the IC or chip or for other purposes.
In testing and evaluating ICs or semiconductor chips, it is necessary to electrically connect the IC or chip to a printed circuit board or test platform to perform the tests and evaluations. For optimal electrical performance and to insure good electrical contact, the IC or chip is typically soldered to the circuit board or test platform and then desoldered after the evaluation process so that another IC to be tested can be soldered to the circuit board. This results in numerous soldering and desoldering operations that will eventually wear down the components and the test board or platform or damage the components or test board. Additionally, the integrity of the solder joints and the degree of wear and tear on contact pins on a chip and conductive pads or footprint on a circuit board are dependent upon the skill of the person doing the soldering and desoldering. Components can be damaged or worn out much sooner if care and skill are lacking in the process. Soldering and desoldering multiple pin connections for each IC being tested is also very tedious and time consuming.
In evaluating ICs or chips from various manufacturers, the same test set up for all ICs or chips is desirable so that there is a common basis for comparison and everything is equal. Accordingly, if a test board becomes damaged after repeated soldering and desoldering operations, a new board will need to be substituted to test the remaining chips and the test results could be influenced by the characteristics of the new board which could differ from the original board.
One alternative to soldering and desoldering is to install a socket on the test board. A socket, however, cannot be used with some designs because of the excess area occupied by the socket on the board. Additionally, a socket can introduce anomalies that adversely alter the characteristics of the board.
Accordingly, for the reason stated above, and for other reasons that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need for a fixture and method to couple an IC, semiconductor chip or the like to a circuit board or test platform that is efficient and non-damaging to the components.